Follow Blog via Email

jonathan bates

Fortune Magazine // September 27, 1999

Your intrepid blog host & writer was featured in the 1999 edition of Fortune Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 issue, with the headline “The Hundred Thousandaire”… read on to see why it was appropriate given the timing of the issue:

San Francisco, 1999:

Working at the center of the Internet world, youthful hubris leaving no doubt that all of us in our 20s were changing the world forever. It was at an endless circuit of launch parties for startups that a friend introduced Jodi, at her first event like this.

As I had liberally made use of the open bar by then, I started riffing like a Boor about dot-commers inheriting rock-star status; changing the world more than electricity; just the worst. Jodi seemed to get that I was “playing” the role of total doofus, not living as one. Ran into her twice more, talked shop.

A few weeks later, several big-shot types I knew emailed to ask why an editor in NYC was asking about me. I didn’t know.

Within 3 days, I got a call from NYC: Fortune had a photographer en route to SF, and would be shooting me in 12 hours. Wouldn’t tell me why… Then a month passes, and every one on my team had a copy of Fortune’s issue on the 40 most influential Internet players under 40. When folks kept staring at me at a bistro over lunch, I asked my top guy what was up.

This morning, I received what looks like a robo-response email from Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in response to a letter I sent two days ago urging her to vote NO on SOPA and NO on PIPA.

I appreciate the prompt reply from her staff (and the robot responder in her office), but unfortunately it appears from her email that BOTH senators from my state, Minnesota, are still using language that supports the interests behind both bills.

We made ourselves known to the world and Congress…
I guess we need to turn the volume up even higher.

Here’s the text of the letter
SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR sent me this morning:

January 20, 2012

Dear Jonathan:

Thank you for contacting me about the Protect IP Act. I appreciate hearing from you and especially appreciate hearing the concerns you have raised.

On January 20th, 2012, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced an indefinite postponement of the scheduled Senate vote on the Protect IP Act. As Congress continues to consider this issue, please know that I will work to make sure your concerns are addressed.

The internet has dramatically altered the manner in which we communicate, conduct business, seek entertainment and find information. It is vital to ensure that online innovation and openness are preserved so the American people can continue to freely to express themselves and pursue personal and economic endeavors over the internet.

It is also important that foreign criminals not be allowed to steal the property of others without consequence. The pirating of intellectual property is not a victimless crime. Rather, it threatens the jobs and livelihoods of millions of middle class American workers and businesses. However, we must seek ways to protect people from online piracy, particularly foreign piracy, without limiting web-based innovation or a free exchange of ideas.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. One of the most important parts of my job is listening to what the people of Minnesota have to say to me. I am here in our nation’s capital to do the public’s business and to serve the people of our state. I hope you will contact me again about matters of concern to you.